The present invention relates to apparatus for installing blind fasteners and more particularly to apparatus for automatically feeding blind fasteners for front loading to the nose assembly of an installation section of the tool for rapid, successive installation of such fasteners. reciprocable
It is desirable in the installation of blind fasteners by a manually operated tool to be able to repetitively install successive fasteners without the need for the manual insertion of the fastener into the tool. Automatic load devices have been provided in the past having complex splitting arm structures for presenting the fasteners to the tool. Other types utilize a slot in the nose assembly of the tool or have a split nose type structure. Both of the latter could adversely affect the integrity of the tool.
In the present invention a relatively simple construction is provided whereby fasteners can be effectively, repetitively front loaded into the nose assembly of the tool without affecting the integrity of the tool. At the same time, the simple construction is compact permiting an efficient utilization of space. One of the features of the invention is a construction in which the nose assembly of the tool reciprocates relatively to the tool housing whereby the fastener load mechanism need only be pivoted in front of the nose portion in its retracted position to present a fastener which will be picked up, by the nose assembly as it moves back to its advanced position. After the fastener has been picked up, the load mechanism simply pivots away from the nose assembly which, in the advanced position, is ready to install the fastener. After the fastener is set the cycle automatically repeats itself.
The load mechanism of the tool operates to receive a fastener from a feed mechanism in readiness to be picked up by the nose assembly; this occurs while the tool is setting the prior fastener and permits for rapid cycling of the tool. By initiating the feed step simultaneously with the actuation of the tool to set the fastener the maximum amount of time is provided to recondition the feeding mechanism for the next feed step.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel, automated fastener installation tool having an automated feed mechanism which is compact and simple in construction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel, automated fastener installation tool having a reciprocable nose assembly and a pivotal feed mechanism for automatically front loading fasteners to the nose assembly.
It is a further object of the present invention to provided a tool of the above described type in which the nose assembly reciprocates between retracted and advanced positions in picking up a fastener from the load mechanism which pivots in front of and away from the nose assembly to effect the fastener pick up.
It is still another object to provide an automated fastener installation tool of the above described type having means for feeding a new fastener into the load mechanism simultaneously with actuation of the tool for setting the preceding fastener.
It is a general object to provide a new and improved automated fastener installation tool.